Yorkshire v Warwickshire, Scarborough, 2nd day

Rudolph double flays Warwickshire

John Ward at Scarborough

August 23, 2007

Yorkshire 530 for 6 (Rudolph 208*, Bresnan 87*, McGrath 58, Rashid 52) lead Warwickshire 129 by 401 runs
Scorecard

Yorkshire's South African Jacques Rudolph scored a superb double-century at Scarborough to put his team in a virtually unassailable position against Warwickshire after two days. At the close they were 401 runs ahead of the visitors with four wickets still in hand.

Yorkshire did suffer setbacks early on, but then came four successive major partnerships, all involving Rudolph, that took them past 500 in reply to Warwickshire's score of 129. In contrast to the relentless cloud of the first day, the weather was sunny for most of the time, but there was still a strong cold wind that caused the ball to swing at times, even when the batsmen were totally in command.

The first hour gave little indication of the batting feast to come. Yorkshire's opening pair had survived ten overs the previous evening, but both were gone within two overs on the second day. Michael Vaughan (5) was caught at the wicket off the fifth ball of the day, a fine delivery from James Anyon that moved and lifted, while Andrew Gale was lbw for 21 to leave Yorkshire 29 for 2.

Inzamam-ul-Haq, in his first innings for Yorkshire, got off the mark with a well-timed clip to the midwicket boundary, but with only 8 to his credit - including two singles from which he came close to being run out - was controversially adjudged caught at the wicket off Anyon. Yorkshire were now 50 for 3.

Rudolph now joined Anthony McGrath, who as he so often does led the fightback. Rudolph soon impressed with some fine drives through the off-side field. The pair took Yorkshire in to the lead, adding 83 before McGrath played round a straight ball from Alfonso Thomas and was lbw for 58.

Runs flowed freely after lunch, when Rudolph went from 38 to 147. He enjoyed support from, successively, Gerard Brophy (38), Adil Rashid (52), following his fine batting double against Worcestershire, and finally Tim Bresnan (87 not out); the respective partnerships were 98, 140 and 159 unbroken. The Warwickshire bowling, impressive at the start of the day, looked increasingly innocuous as time went on, although Thomas and Anyon toiled manfully to take three wickets each.

Rudolph's fifties were reached off, cumulatively, 90, 142, 203 and 279 deliveries. On reaching 166, he became the first Yorkshire player to reach 1000 runs during the season. He hit two straight sixes off Alex Loudon and was only troubled by occasional balls that lifted sharply on him. His driving and cutting were particularly impressive. Long before the close of play, Warwickshire appeared to have had all the stuffing knocked out of them.

Rudolph finished the day with 208, Bresnan with 87 - his dominating 50 came off 58 balls - and Yorkshire scored 505 runs in the day. Both are approaching their highest career scores, and are likely to continue batting on the third day. Only remarkable resistance or unexpected rain can save Warwickshire from heavy defeat with two days remaining.

© Cricinfo

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Stories

Glorious Yorkshire crush Warwickshire

1st day bulletin

Matches

Yorkshire v Warwickshire at Scarborough

Players/Umpires

Tim Bresnan

Adil Rashid

Jacques Rudolph

Series/Tournaments

County Championship Division One

England Domestic Season

Teams

England

Warwickshire

Yorkshire